Welcome

Some information about Provence


It is probably with Paris the most well known part of France everywhere in the world.
It is also one of the longest lived in by human people. In the Cote d'Azur is one of the most ancient prehistoric site, nearly half a million year of age!!! And the city of Marseilles is celebrating this year (1999) the 2 600 th Anniversary of its creation by Phaenicians!!!
In the greek period, Nice had the name of Nike ( meaning victory, not running) and is nearly as old as its sister port of Marseille !
You can imagine how proud we are of this long brilliant and ancient history behind us.

 

Closeup view of Provence

 

 

Provence is the southern part of France, the most sunny, and it is no wonder it is considered as the Europe's play ground. (See its place in Europe)
I will try to introduce it to you in a more accurate way.

It is a very contrasted place, with freezing cold sometimes in winter, and insufferable warm temperatures in summer. It rains more than in Great Britain, but only in a few weeks lapse of time instead of 300 days a year!!
Our rolling hills region is deep baked in sun in summer, and it is the most vivid image people can have , these silvery hills vibrating in the sun. But there are also forests and green valleys in Provence
You also find beaches, world wide known villages such as St tropez, but also little unknown ones, that we like best, because they are ours only, all of them displaying wonders, like these lovely and hill-perched villages over Nice in the churches of which you can admire extraordinary paintings ...if you find the key of the church .

People are less open than we can imagine, they were mainly peasants, living with invading hordes for centuries, and now with superficial tourists who sometimes treat them only as nice pictures.
But make them feel that you really love their place, and they will be the most charming and warm people.
They will open their heart and souls to the ones who, like them love this region, and will display treasures to show you their area from inside.
In Provence-Shop, it is our aim too, to show you the different facets of the best we can produce.

I like to tell again that in such a traditional region, the deep taste for well done work is still living among our crafstmen, they are the sons of hundreds generations of skilled workmen, and very proud ot these ancestors.
You will never find in our pages anything coming from a factory, everything has the very special signature of a single man or woman loving his work, and doing it in the most perfect way it can be. For you, we looked for these genuine craftsmen: santon maker
, perfumer, Houselinen maker, etc..
There are so many things to tell about Provence, that here, I only threw some ideas. You will find this little chronicle improved, or modified according our feeling, so you will have a more accurate idea of Provence..